Concrete steps construction in Pleasant Hill CA - steps that feel solid underfoot
Steps sinking, cracking through or pulling away from the house? I'll tell you if a patch will do, and if not, we'll build new ones.
Should I repair or replace my concrete steps?
Concrete steps construction in Pleasant Hill means building new entry steps or replacing worn ones, either poured in place or made in a plant as precast steps and set at your door, so you get a solid way in and out of the house.
Most calls start with steps that have sunk, cracked clean through or opened a gap at the house wall, and the first question is whether that's worn concrete or steps that have actually moved. The price turns on whether we're patching or replacing, how many steps there are and how wide, whether there's a landing, and whether precast fits your entry or the shape calls for a pour. The schedule turns on that same choice, since poured steps need forms and curing, which is the wait before new concrete can take weight, plus any permit your address needs. I put your own figure in a written estimate after I've seen the steps, and since California treats forming and pouring work like this as a concrete contractor's job, we're licensed and fully insured to do it.
What happens when you call about new steps in Pleasant Hill?
Call or send the form
You call (707) 750-8660 or send the form, and we set a time for me to come see the steps. We're based in Pleasant Hill and work across it and the cities around it.
I come out and look
I check whether your steps need a patch or have moved, look at where water runs off the entry and ask how you use it, from groceries to strollers. You get a written estimate that says repair or replace, poured or precast, and what it will cost.
We plan around your house
If you go ahead, we plan the work around your cars, your neighbors and which door you'll use while the new steps cure. Pleasant Hill allows construction from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekends, so our crew works inside those hours.
We pour, finish and clean
Our own crew does the work, and I'm usually there on pour day. We haul off the old concrete, and I'll tell you when the new steps are ready to use.
How we build concrete steps, and the foundation work around them
Before I quote new steps, I check whether the old ones just need a patch or have actually moved, because a patch on steps that are sinking only buys you a nicer-looking crack. If they're coming out, we break them up and haul them off, then dig out and pack the subgrade, which is the dirt and gravel the steps sit on, instead of raking it smooth and hoping. We form a footing, tie in rebar, the steel that holds the concrete together if it does crack, and leave a joint at the house wall so the new steps stand on their own and don't lean on your foundation. Precast steps get the same packed base before they're set. On poured steps we slope the treads and landing so water runs away from the door, pour early before the afternoon heat can leave a weak, dusty top, and give each step a broom finish, a light texture that keeps your shoes from sliding when it's wet. Then the steps cure, and we clean up so the only thing missing from your yard is the old concrete.
Steps often come up alongside bigger work at the house. If you're adding a room on a new slab foundation or getting foundation installation for an addition, we plan the steps at the same time so the entry lines up with the new floor and the joint between the steps and the house goes where it should.
Get a free estimate on your concrete steps
We reply within one business day to set a visit, then I come out, look at your steps and write the estimate myself. It's free, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
Concrete steps questions from Pleasant Hill homeowners
Should I get precast or poured concrete steps for my entry?
Precast steps suit a plain, standard entry and go in place in under an hour once they're delivered, while poured steps win for a curved or wraparound shape, an odd height or a wide landing. Most plants will make a custom size to order, but at a price, so for an unusual entry I weigh that against pouring. Precast also arrives on a boom truck, a truck with a crane arm, so I'll check it can reach your door before you order.
How long do new concrete steps last?
Steps with proper reinforcement and an adequate footing typically last 30 to 50 years, by one guide's estimate, with little upkeep beyond resealing now and then. The same guide says steps built without the steel, the footing depth or the joints often crack within 5 to 10 years. Ask anyone bidding your job how they handle those three things.
How do I know if my cracked concrete steps can be repaired?
If the base under your steps is still sound, a flaking surface, chipped front edges and hairline cracks can be repaired. Steps that have settled, cracked all the way through or pulled away from the house need more than a surface patch, which is why I check that before I quote anything new.
Where do I apply for a permit for concrete steps in Pleasant Hill?
Pleasant Hill runs permits and inspection scheduling through its online service center, and the city's interactive permit guide lays out the steps based on where your project is. We'll tell you which office handles your address, and when your steps need a permit, we take care of the paperwork for our part of the work. The city is also moving to a newer edition of its building code, and we keep track of which one your filing falls under.
How much do new concrete steps cost in Pleasant Hill?
You'll get your price in the written estimate after I've seen your entry, since what's there now and what's behind it both change the job. One guide warns that pulling old steps can uncover a rotted wooden sill, the wood at the bottom of the wall, where water ran behind the steps into the framing, so leave some room in your budget for that. If you need to trim, trim the finish and keep the base described above, because fancy steps on a soft base just crack in a nicer color.
What causes concrete steps to pull away from the house?
Usually the steps settle and drag on whatever they were poured against, and steps poured tight to the foundation with no joint between them pass that stress into the house slab and crack both. A joint at the wall prevents that for next to nothing in added cost, and it's the gap we leave on new steps, as described above.
Foundation work that often comes with new steps
Slab foundation building
If the steps lead into a new room addition or garage, the slab under it sets the floor height, so it makes sense to plan both together.
Foundation installation
When an addition or structure needs foundation walls and footings, we can build those and the entry steps that meet them without two crews working around each other.
Send us a photo of your steps
A photo of the cracks or the gap at the wall lets me show up already knowing what to look at, so call (707) 750-8660 or send one through the form.